USA: The Environmental Protection Agency has finalised a rule that will set a stricter standard for exhaust emissions from ships as well as for cleaner fuel standards for large marine diesel engines on large US-flagged vessels.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said that the regulation were on par with international standards leading to air quality improvements.
The new standards apply to new marine diesel engines with a per-cylinder displacement at or above 30 litres. The standards will be put into place over two stages: near term standards for newly-built vessels come into force in 2011 while long-term standards, which require an 80 percent reduction in nitrogen dioxides will commence in 2016.
The final engine standards will be equivalent to those adopted in the amendments to the MARPOL treaty. This is being amended to add new levels of nitrogen oxide emission standards and fuel sulphur limits.
The IMO will vote on the adoption of a joint US-Canada emissions control area this March. This could result in stricter fuel and emissions standards for large foreign-flagged and domestic vessels operating in the area.